September update on Crenshaw/LAX Line work

Preparing to start drilling soldier piles on the segment of the line between Vernon Avenue and 48th Street.

Here’s the latest roundup of construction along the Crenshaw/LAX Line alignment. The light rail line will run between the intersection of Exposition and Crenshaw boulevards to a junction with the Green Line just south of Los Angeles International Airport. The project is funded by Measure R and is forecast to be complete in 2019.

The ongoing work by Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors (WSCC) :

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Expo/Crenshaw Station

A 21-day full street closure will take place on Crenshaw Boulevard between Coliseum Street and Exposition Boulevard beginning Friday, September 25. This closure is needed to perform chemical grouting just outside the south wall of the underground station. This is where the tunnel boring machine will begin digging the underground segment of the line between Expo/Crenshaw and Crenshaw and 48th Street.

Also, the contractor will be jet grouting cross passages between the northbound and southbound tunnels and will install steel piles for the ventilation shaft on the east side of Crenshaw Boulevard on the north side of Rodeo Road. The final depth of the tunnel will be 68 feet.

Leimert Park Station

Work on the future underground Leimert Park Station is now focusing on excavation. Braces will be installed to support the interior walls of the station.

Vernon Avenue to 48th Street

Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors will begin installing steel beams and locating utilities on Crenshaw Boulevard at Vernon Avenue for the next four consecutive weekends, beginning Friday, Sept. 4. A full street closure will be implemented on Crenshaw Boulevard between 48th Street and 43rd Street and on Vernon Avenue between Crenshaw Boulevard and Leimert Avenue during these weekends.

Work has been scheduled from 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. Friday through Monday on the following weekends: Sept. 11, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25. There is also the possibility of two additional weekend closures in October.

Park Mesa Heights

WSCC is potholing to locate utilities (and eventually relocate them) in preparation for the upcoming construction work on Crenshaw Boulevard between 48th Street and Slauson Avenue.

59th to 69th streets

North and southbound traffic will be diverted around the center of Crenshaw Boulevard between 59th and 67th streets to establish a construction zone to begin potholing and then later steel pile installation in preparation for the cut and cover operation that will take place for the next three years.

La Brea Bridge

Framing work on the new rail bridge over La Brea Avenue has commenced near the La Brea and Florence intersection to install the falsework for the bridge.To build the support structure, WSCC will require nightly full closures of both north and south bound traffic on La Brea for four weeks. The closures will take place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, until Sunday, Oct. 6

La Cienega Bridge

On Tuesday, September 8, WSCC will begin working on La Cienega Boulevard and Florence Avenue, west of the 405 freeway, to begin excavating the third large diameter bridge pile that will hold the rail bridge that will cross over the freeway. As a result of this work, WSCC will be implementing nightly full northbound and southbound closures of La Cienega Boulevard at Florence Avenue. Work has been scheduled from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday to Friday beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, until Monday, Sept. 28.

Florence Avenue right-of-way

From La Cienega Boulevard all the way to Florence Avenue and West Boulevard, the contractor continues working on the foundation for the overhead catenary system (OCS), where the power line will be installed. Work will also be done to relocate fiber optic wires and to excavate for the support walls for the ramps that will take train tracks from ground level to the bridges. In the Inglewood segment a storm drain also will be built.

Manchester Bridge

Construction continues on the bridge abutments and column bents that will support the structure spanning Manchester Ave. at this location adjacent to the Manchester Ave and Florence avenues intersection.

Century Bridge

WSCC has finished the last columns north of Century Boulevard for the Century Bridge, where the light-rail aerial station will be located. Most of the falsework framing has been completed with the exception of the final tie-in at the southern abutment. The next step will be building the superstructure with installation of the reinforcing steel and related components for the concrete box girders. This will take several months and then concrete will be poured.

111th St. Bridge

Construction continues on the bridge abutments that will support the bridge spanning 111th Street, one of the main arteries into the LAX’s Imperial cargo facility.

Green Line/Imperial Aviation bridges

Work continues on the columns that will support the bridge that will connect the Crenshaw/LAX light rail with the Metro Green Line. WSCC is expected to pour concrete on the sixth column by the end of September. The counter weights on the “stub-outs” of the existing Metro Green Line bridge will be removed in early October in preparation for the new bridges.

The weekends closures will begin Friday at 9pm and reopen Monday at 6am. Southbound traffic will be detoured at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; however, local access will be maintained on Crenshaw Boulevard from MLK Boulevard to 43rd St/Homeland Dr. Safe pedestrian routes will be maintained. Hope this helps with your request for info.